Jack.



0.1. HORN & W.-E. SIMMONS.

JACK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, ms.

Patented Dec. 5,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 C. l. HORN & W. E. SIMMONS. JACK.

APPLICATION FILED APR-9.1915- 1,207,167. I Patented Dec. 5,1916.

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C. J. HORN & W. E. SIMMONS.

JACK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. I915.

Patented Dec. '5, 1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASPER J. HORN AND WILLIAM E. SIMMONS, OF HICKSVILLE, OHIO.

JACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application filed April 9, 1915. Serial No. 20,164.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CASPER J. HORN and WILLIAM E. SIMMONS, citizens of the United States, residing at Hicksville, in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio, have invented now and useful Improvements in Jacks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to jacks and particularly to jacks for suspending automobiles and other vehicles.

It is a well known fact that the weight of an automobile at rest is injurious to the tires. lVith the jacks now in use the vehicle can be supported off its wheels only by lifting the machine with considerable labor and care.

The object of the invention is to provide a jack which may be installed in a garage and which shall be capable of supporting a vehicle off its wheels and be operated by the vehicle while in motion to accomplish the support without any labor or effort on the part of the driver or without lifting the weight of the vehicle.

The invention consists in the novel combination of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which draw- 111 's" Figure l is a side elevational'view of a jack constructed according to our invention, the jack supports being in their lowermost positions. Fig. 2 is a similar View, the jack supports being in their elevated or upright positions. Fig. 2 is a similar view, the jack tional view of the rear jack support. Fig. 4 is a view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a portion of the lock for the front jack supports. Fig. 6 is a side elevational'view of one of the front jack supports. Fig. 7 is a front fractional elevational view of the front jack. Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the rear lock. Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the de vice, the right runway and jacks being removed, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the complete structure. I

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate one manner in which the invention may be carried out in practice, the main frame consists of a series of cross-bars 10 of suitable material to which are connected at opposite ends thereof, two runways 11, 12. The rear ends 13, 14. of the runways are sloped downwardly to meet the floor or ground upon which the frame rests. Guards 15, 16 are secured adjacent the inner edges of the runways to guide the vehicle wheels upon the runways. In runway 11 and spaced at a suitable distance apart are two traps 17, 18 which are pivoted to the runway as by bolts 19, 20. In the drawings the runway and traps are shown as formed of wood, the traps having rearwardly extending tongues 21, 22 respectively which fit into cut-out portions in the runways. The runways and traps may be formed of metal and be pivoted together in any suitable manner. Similar traps 23, 24 are pivoted in runway 12 and are provided with tongues 25, 26 respectively.

Adjacent the forward ends of traps 17 and 23 and hinged to the floor or any suit able part of the device is a bar 27. A spring 28 is connected at one end to the bar and at its other end to a convenient part of the main frame, as one of the cross-bars 10. The tension of the spring tends to retain a portion of the top of bar 27 under the forward end of traps 17 and 23 to support the traps in a horizontal position. Triggers 29, 30 are secured to bar 27 atopposite ends thereof and between the guards 15, 16 and they project upwardly, their upper ends being abutted by bolts 31, 32 respectively, which are adjustably mounted in slots 33, 34 in links 35 and 36 respectively. Link 35 is provided at its rear end with a number of apertures 37 through any one of which a bolt 38 is passed to connect the link at a suitable point to rear jack support 39. The lower end of the support is pivoted within a channel 40 which is secured to cross-bars 10. The vertical walls of the channel are provided with a corresponding series of'apertures 41 which vary in height from the frame as well as in distance from the forward end of the link, and the support may be pivoted in any one of the pairs of apertures. The upper end of support 39 is provided with a cap 39*, to receive the axle of the vehicle, which is longitudinally adjustable'andit may be lined with a suitable material, as rubber, to protect the axle. Link :36 is similarly connected to jack support 42 which is similarly pivoted within a similar channel 43 and is provided at its upper end with a similar adjustable cap 42 to also receive the axle.

The forward ends of links 35 and 36 are connected respectively to jack supports 44, 45 which are identical in construction. Supports 44, 45 are preferably triangular in shape and are adjustably pivoted at their lower rear corners within channels 46, 47 respectively. laps 48 and (Figs. 6-7) are adjustablyamounted on the upper ends of supports 44', 45 respectively. They are preferably U-shaped, each having its forward upper leg extending above the rear upper leg. Lugs 50, 51 are provided on the front side of the lower forward corners of the supports which when the supports are rocked forwardly are adapted to abut fingers 52, 53 which are secured to a hinged bar 54 which extends transversely across the device with a portion of its upper surface engaged under the forward ends of traps 18 and A spring 55 is connected to the bar and to the main frame. Supports 39 and 42 are tied together by cross-pieces 56 and supports 44 and 45 are similarly connected by cross-bars 57. A link 58 is pivoted to either support 44 or 45, its other end being secured to a lever 59 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end to a suitable bracket 60, the upper edge of the bracket having one or more notches 61 therein with which a latch 62 carried by the lever is adapted to engage when the jack supports are in their upright position. A buffer 63 is arranged in the bottom of each channel 46 and 47 upon which the forward ends of supports 44 and 45 strike when the supports are rocked forwardly.

In operation, the jack supports are first adjusted in their supporting channels for the height of axles of the vehicle intended to be supported, the caps at the upper ends of the supports being also adjusted if necessary. At the same time the rear jacks are adjusted rearwardly or forwardly according to the wheel base of the vehicle or distance between its axles, and the link connections to the latter supports are also adjusted so that the rear supports will rise at the proper time as about to be explained. The supports are tilted down, the rear ones being lower than the forward ones so that the front or forward axle of the vehicle will clear them, and the traps are up and supported by the rocking bars or locks. The vehicle is driven onto the runways. The front or forward axle will strike the elongated forward legs of the caps on the front supports and rock the supports forwardly. This movement of the forward acks will be imparted by the links to the rear jacks and when the lower sides of the front supports strike the buffers, the two axles will be resting in the caps at the upper ends of the supports, the lugs on the front supports will rock the hinged bar 54 forwardly thereby releasing the forward traps which immediately drop down until their forward ends reach the floor or frame beneath them and at the same time the bolts 31, 32 on the links 35, 36 strike the fingers carried by the rear locking bar 27 and rock the bar forwardly to release the rear traps which drop. The

' vehicle is now suspended from its axles upon the ack supports, the wheels being entirely free from contact with any part of the runways or traps, and the wheels are accessible for removal or for the removal of the tires, or for the repair of the brake drums. lVhen the driver desires to take out his car he releases the latch on lever 59 and rocks the lever rearwardly a sufficient distance to drive the supports rearwardly over their centers or pivotal points, the movement of the lever being imparted to the supports as a unit by the links connecting them. The vehicle, of course, travels with the supports and as soon as the supports pass beyond their pivotal points the weight of the vehicle carries it, together with the supports, downwardly until its wheels contact with the forwardly and downwardly inclined traps. The rear legs of caps 48 and 49 are of sufficient length to enable the axle of the vehicle, which rested in said caps, to drag all the supports downwardly with it and when the wheels rest upon the traps the axles will clear all the supports when the vehicle is driven off the device. As the traps are declined forwardly the vehicle will not climb them until the driver desires to drive the vehicle off the device. He then backs the vehicle off the device and as the wheels travel over the tongues of the traps the latter are returned to their normal horizontal position, the springs 28 and 55 rocking the locking bars 27 and 54 rearwardly so that they will pass under the forward ends of the traps and support them in their proper position (Fig. 10) ready to receive the vehicle again when it is returned to the device.

It is thus seen that the user, every time he drives his automobile into his garage may automatically support it upon the jack thereby saving the wear and tear on the tires which otherwise occurs when the machine is standing in the garage, and at the same time he has free access to the wheels for repairs, and to take out his machine he merely has to move a lever a very short distance until the jack supports pass over their centers whereupon the weight of the machine carries it the remaining distance to the traps, which traps are down and therefore declined forwardly so that the machine will not move rearwardly after the wheels meet the traps until the driver desires that it shall do so.

It will be noted that the jack supports, relatively to their pivotal points, are substantially perpendicular in their upright position so that very little efi'ort on the part I of the user is required to start them and the vehicle on their rearward travel when he desires to take out the vehicle.

What we claim is:

l. A vehicle jack comprising a runway, a tipping member pivotally supported adj acent the runway andhaving its upper part adapted to receive and hold an axle, the said member when rearwardly tilted being adapted to be moved forwardly on its pivot by the axle of a vehicle which is driven against it, a trap in the runway adjacent the tipping member and means adapted to be abutted and actuated by the moving tipping member to release the trap whereby the trap drops by gravity from under the wheel on the axle when the tipping member is in a substantially vertical position.

2. A vehicle jack comprising a runway, a trap pivotally mounted in the runway, a lock to retain the trap in horizontal position, a tipping member pivotally mounted adjacent the trap and adapted when tilted rearwardly to be moved forwardly on its pivot by the vehicle and having its upper part adapted to receive and hold an axle when the member is in a substantially vertical position, and means adapted to be .abutted and actuated by the tipping member for releasing the lock when the tipping member has, in its forward movement, reached a vertical position whereby the trap drops by gravity from under the wheel of the vehicle which is supported on the axle.

3. A vehicle jack comprising a runway,

' a trap pivotally mounted in the runway, a

lock to retain the trap in horizontal posi tion, a tipping member pivotally mounted adjacent the trap and adapted, when tilted rearwardly, to be moved forwardly on its pivot by the moving vehicle and having its upper part adapted to receive and hold an axle when the member is in a substantially vertical position. means to releasably lock the tipping member in vertical position and means adapted to be abutted and actuated by the tipping member for releasing the trap look when the tipping member has in its forward movement reached a vertical position whereby the trap drops away from the wheel of the vehicle which is supported on the axle, the trap being restored to normal position by the wheel in the rearward movement of the vehicle.

4:. A vehicle wheel comprising a runway, a trap pivotally mounted on the runway and having a rearwardly extending tongue, movable means to support the trap in horizontal position, a tipping support pivotally and adjustably mounted adjacent the trap and adapted to be moved on its pivot by a vehicle in motion, the upper part of the support being adapted to receive and hold the axle of the vehicle when the rearwardly tipped support has been moved by the vehicle to a vertical position, the tipping sup port in its forward movement being adapted to abut and actuate the said movable means for releasing the trap when the support is in a vertical position whereupon the trap drops by gravity from under the vehicle wheel supported on the axle.

5. A vehicle jack comprising two runways, two traps pivotally mounted in each runway, those in one runway being in alinement transversely with those in the other runway, hinged bars to support the traps in horizontal position and having upwardly projecting fingers, tipping membersbetween the runways and adjustably pivoted adjacent the traps respectivel-y, means connecting the opposite members in pairs, links adjustably connecting the forward pair of members to the rear pair, said pairs of tipping members when tipped rearwardly being adapted to be moved forwardly by a moving vehicle and having at their upper ends adjustably supported caps adapted to receive and hold the axle of the vehicle when the members are moved in unison to the vertical position, means to releasably lock the tipping members in vertical position and movable means to abut the fingers on the hinged bars for causing the bars to release the traps when the moving tipping members reach the perpendicular whereby the traps are caused to drop away from the wheels on the axles.

6. A vehicle jack comprising two parallel runways, four traps pivotally mounted in the runways in opposite pairs, each trap having a rearwardly extending tongue, four tipping members pivotally and adjustably mounted between the runways and adjacent the traps respectively, the tipping members being connected in opposite pairs, means adjustably connecting the two pairs of tip ing members, adjustably mounted caps in the upper part of the tipping members adapted to receive the axles of a vehicle when the vehicle has moved the tipping members from the rearwardly tipped position to the vertical position, and means having an operating connection to the tipping members for springing the traps to cause them to drop away from the vehicle wheels when the tipping members have been moved to the vertical position by the vehicle.

7 A vehicle jack comprising a runway, a tipping member pivotally mounted adj acent the runway and adapted to receive and support an axle, the said member being also adapted to be moved forwardly on its pivot from a rearwardly tilted position to a substantially vertical position, by the axle of a vehicle which is driven against it, the said member when in its sub stantially vertical position supporting the axle without elevating it relatively to the runway, a trap in the run ay adjacent the tipping member having a rearwardly extending tongue and means to support the trap in horizontal position and adapted to be tripped by the forwardly moving tip- 5 ping member for releasing the trap, Whereupon the trap drops by gravity from under the wheel supported on the axle, the said tongue being adapted to be abutted by the said Wheel as the vehicle is driven rearwardly for restoring the trap to horizontal 10 position.

In Witness whereof We hereunto subscribe our names this 3rd day of April, 1915.

CASPER J. HORN. WM. E. SIMMONS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

